The present invention relates generally to a security alarm system which detects a distress signal or the like transmitted from a remote transmitter to one or more intermediate monitoring stations, and optionally to a central dispatch station thus bringing prompt response as indicated immediately to the site of the distress signal to deal with the problem at hand.
The prior art of alarm systems is replete with alarm signal generators and receivers which are intended to be effective as warning devices for any sort of emergency situation requiring prompt response from public safety or security authorities such as the police, fire department, emergency medical system personnel, or the like. Any sort of event calling for prompt response from these or other public safety and security personnel requires, upon its occurrence, immediate communication of a distress or emergency alarm to a central dispatcher with indication of the location of the emergency event to be dealt with. Such emergencies might include, but are not limited to, any medical emergency of any cause whatever, street crime such as assaults or muggings, other unauthorized intrusions upon one's person or property such as break-ins or auto theft, and especially emergencies in the home such as fire, domestic violence, the like.
Examples of security alarm systems from the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,332 which discloses a combined portable visual and audible alarm which requires actuation of a key lock switch to deactivate the same. U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,986 discloses a warning system which provides for common operation of a motor vehicle horn and light signal. U.S. Pat. No. 2,101,209 discloses a conventional "fire box" type alarm system for signaling a central dispatcher. U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,100 discloses a residential or similar warning system in which an actuating signal provides a visual warning by reversing the on/off state of conventional lighting with those lights that are on being turned off or dimmed and those lights that are off being turned on by the actuating signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,206,556 discloses a railway signaling system. U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,249 discloses a conventional wired system for remote to central station signaling. U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,864 discloses a burglar alarm system having plurality of establishments which are potential burglary targets connected in a common alarm system such that, when the system is actuated in one of the establishments, the warning alarm is actuated in all the establishments except the one where the actuation signal originated. U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,757 discloses a security system which contemplates a plurality of independent local alarms spaced from one another and actuatable by portable transmitters within the receiving range of individual ones of the independent vocal alarms. Upon actuation by a transmitter, the independent local alarm receiving the transmission provides a local alarm and in addition provides to a central response or control unit a signal which is unique to the independent local alarm sending it.